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The Victorians knew their plants, and the gorgeous hot water plant, achimene, was one of their favourites. Who can resist the charms of this little beauty, a relative of the African violet and Cape primrose. I'm a great fan of the gesneriad family

of watering plants. To start with, try and rationalise the number of plants growing in pots and baskets, and if you do always use the largest pots you can. Small pots hold less compost, and less moisture, so bigger is always better. Terracotta pots can

garden to look good, and for neighbouring plants to complement one another.Walking through my garden this week I was struck by its freshness following a shower. Doesn't rain transform the colour and vigour of plants in a way simply watering by hand never

. During the worst weather I've needed a whole kettle of boiling water to melt the ice completely.It's surprising how quickly birds find this fresh supply of water, but anyone who doesn't have a bird bath can simply fill a plant saucer or bowl with water

In the past, either greed or wishful thinking has tempted me to cram far too many sweetcorn plants into my vegetable beds, resulting in very disappointing yields. This year I was determined to supply my family with a decent crop of sweetcorn, which

changing from pink to blue...a clear illustration of the affect of pH on plants.My garden soil must have got more alkaline, possibly through watering with 'hard' tap water during hot weather last summer, hence the pink flowers this year. I'll need to change

well with dry shade, but if its leaves do flag I give the surrounding soil a good drenching. A hundred snowdrops bought 'in the green' last month have also been planted through this border, and I'm keeping these watered until they completely die down. I

degrees of frosty weather in between. I like to think a deep carpet of snow, although clearly at zero degrees or less, is actually insulating plants below from even colder air temperatures above. Hopefully no harm will come to the perennials and bulbs

Although it's been a mixed summer weather-wise, I've still given my collection of succulent plants a 'holiday' outside, lining them up along a path to create a simple display. These tender succulents - aeonium, sedum and echeveria - spend autumn

that we gave away with our April issue.Very dry spring weather made it quite a challenge getting sweet peas established this year, and regular watering has been essential. Dryness at the root through summer is one contributory factor to the powdery mildew